


Secrets Under Ground

by VioletGrey1020



Category: Backstreet Boys
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-20 21:45:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16563692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletGrey1020/pseuds/VioletGrey1020
Summary: AJ made a big mistake 20 years ago. Now, he will have to face the consequences if he wants to save the people he loves.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Music Video for “The Call”.
> 
> At the time of the song’s release, the members of the Backstreet Boys would have been in their twenties. However, for reasons connected to the plot, I decided to age them another 20 years.

“Thanks for inviting me over, Howie,” AJ said as he sat down.  
“No problem. It’s always good to have some man time.” Howie’s eyes sparkled as he asked, “How’s Rochelle?”  
“She’s a great gal. I really like her. She's different.”  
“You always say that.”  
“Well, this time, it’s true.”  
The two men were in The Aurora Nightclub, located in New York City’s newest project, The UnderGrounds. Already in its twentieth year, it sported a grocery store, apartments, a spacious parkade, and the nightclub. The nightclub that AJ and his friends frequently visited.  
The music began, and a couple of customers got up to dance. A tall woman with long black hair, dressed entirely in dark leather, approached their table. “Hello, AJ.”  
AJ stared in disbelief. “Isabel?”  
Howie looked from one person to the other. “This is interesting. You two know each other?”  
Before AJ could answer, the woman turned and walked into the growing crowd. AJ jumped to his feet. “Come on, Howie.”  
“You okay?” Howie asked, concerned.  
“Yes. No. I don’t know.” The green lasers shone from overhead were making it hard for AJ’s eyes to pick out anyone from the throng, let alone a woman in black. “I met her once before. Remember the woman that I slept with? The one that I cheated on Brittany with?”  
Howie snapped his fingers. “Right. Now I remember her. The boys and I were all jealous because she singled you out.”  
“I still feel guilty about it,” AJ admitted. “I could never forget her face or her name. The question is, how and why did she remember me?”  
They were now outside The Aurora and in the corridor leading into the parkade. “Isabel sure knows her way around,” Howie panted. “Does she live here?”  
“No. She lives in the Bronx. Or she did 20 years ago.” AJ looked from side to side. “I’ll take the right, and you’ll take the left.”  
“Just be careful,” Howie warned. “There have been a lot of hit-and-runs down here since the place opened.”  
AJ jogged down the driveway, his thoughts in chaos. This couldn’t be happening. He had just found another soulmate, confided in her, even confessed his infidelity towards her. And yet, here he was, chasing the seductress who had ruined his life. Why did these things happen to him?  
Disappearing around the corner was a pair of legs in black boots. AJ followed it – and came face to face with a taxi, speeding towards him.  
If it hadn’t been for the arm that yanked him into an open doorway, he would surely have been hit. “Thank you.” AJ looked to see who had rescued him.  
Staring back at him with deep green eyes was a girl, who looked like she was in her mid-teens.  
Her brown hair hung loosely to her shoulders, and she wore a light pink T-shirt and distressed jeans. “It’s not over yet,” she said. “You have to hide at my place.”  
“So, you know Isabel?” AJ asked as he ran with her up the flight of stairs to the first floor.  
“Belladonna? She’s my mom.”


	2. Chapter 2

AJ’s mouth dropped open. “Your mom?”  
“Yes. Now shut up while we get out of here.” The girl ducked in and out of corridors, down and up several flights of stairs, and finally opened an air vent. “Get in.”  
AJ eyed it dubiously. “You think I’ll fit?”  
“You’d better.” AJ sighed and crawled in. The vent sloped up diagonally. Once or twice he slipped, but the girl pushed him up. Finally, the tunnel stopped, blocked.  
“There’s a box in front of the exit,” the girl hissed. “Shove it to the side.” AJ obeyed and wriggled into a small dark room.   
The girl stood up and flipped a switch. They were in a walk-in closet. “My name’s Courtney, by the way,” she said.  
“I’m AJ. Thanks for rescuing me, Courtney.”  
“No problem.” She brushed past some coats and opened the closet door.  
Howie poked his head in. “Thank God. I was getting worried.”  
“When did you get here?” AJ asked.   
“About 15 minutes ago. Some guy cornered me in one of the storage rooms, but Courtney scared him off.”  
“That was Paxton,” Courtney added. “He works for Mom.”  
“I am totally confused,” AJ said. “What does your mom do, and why was she trying to kill me?”  
Before she could answer, there was a pounding on the apartment door. “Courtney!”  
Courtney looked at the men. “Hide in the closet and don’t come out until I tell you.” AJ didn’t need to be told otherwise. He and Howie returned to the safety of the coats and shoes. “That, by the way, is Paxton,” Howie said to him.  
“I figured that part out.” AJ strained his ears, trying to listen.   
Courtney was saying, “No, you’ve got it wrong. I’m all by myself here.”  
“That’s what you say,” a raspy voice replied. “I know you were the one who called me over. You almost sound like Belladonna, but not quite. Anyway, the guy is probably hiding somewhere in this apartment. Maybe in your closet.”  
Howie swore. AJ closed his eyes and whispered a prayer.  
“Paxton, do you really think I’d do something like that? Now, get out of here before I call Mom.”  
“Okay, Courtney. But remember: just because Belladonna’s your mother doesn’t mean you get off scot-free.” Retreating footsteps and the sound of the door closing indicated that Paxton had left.  
Courtney hissed, “You can come out now.”  
Howie opened the door and stepped out. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”  
“No, he didn’t. Paxton wouldn’t dare hurt me, unless he wanted to face Mom’s wrath.” Courtney gestured to the sofa. “Sit down and relax for a bit.”  
“How’d Isa- Belladonna do it?” AJ asked, sinking down beside her. “Run so fast and send the car towards me?”  
Courtney rolled her eyes, as if it were obvious. “Magic, of course. Mom’s a witch, like me.”  
Howie stared at her. “What?”  
There came a knock at the door again. “Courtney!”  
The men froze, but Courtney grinned and ran to open the door. “Casey!” Howie and AJ awkwardly stared at each other.   
A young man with shaggy dark hair and a gray hoodie entered with Courtney. “I heard there was something going on with Paxon and Belladonna. Are you okay?”  
“Yeah,” AJ nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Casey.”  
“I’ve seen you before,” Howie smiled. “You live next door to me, right?”  
“Yep.”  
“You can trust him,” Courtney added. “He’s not going to tell Mom.”  
“Speaking of, what does she have against men?” Howie asked. “Just curious.”  
“I don’t know what she has against you. In general, though, she tolerates them. In fact, she gets her powers from sexual intercourse”.  
“You’re kidding me,” Howie said. AJ looked askance at Casey, who grimaced. “But aren’t all witches born with powers, then?”   
“Yes, but they’re not considered actual witches until they go through a ritual known as the Virgin Year.” Courtney blushed as she explained, “It means they go a year without getting impregnated.”  
“Why does she call herself Belladonna?” AJ asked, trying to make sense of it all.  
“She chose the name as part of the Virgin Year test. The name, known as the Mortis name, can also become a witch’s legal name once she has completed the test. Mom didn’t complete it, but she still decided to change her name. My aunt’s Mortis name is Arnica, and mine – which Mom chose for me, since I’m not of age yet - is Rosaria.” She turned to Casey. “Speaking of Mom, do you know where she is right now?”  
“She’s yelling at Paxton in the parkade,” Casey replied.   
“Good.” Courtney turned to the men. “You should leave now before she catches you here. Howie, can you make sure that AJ leaves the UnderGrounds safely?”  
“I will try,” Howie nodded. “Thanks again for saving us.”   
“No problem, AJ.” Courtney smiled. “Hopefully, we’ll see each other again soon.”  
Out in the corridor, AJ remarked, “I can’t see how Courtney can live with Belladonna. Is she safe with her, do you think?”  
“Casey is a good guy. I trust him to take of her,” Howie said. “Don’t worry about it.”  
That was all AJ could do as he got into his car and drove out of the parkade.


	3. Chapter 3

Rochelle was at the door when AJ finally pulled up. “You’re late.”  
“We had issues with traffic.”   
“I see.” She crossed her arms. “Tell me what happened.”  
“Baby...”  
“Please.”  
AJ sighed. “Okay. Let’s go inside.”  
Rochelle closed the door behind her and walked past him into the kitchen, where she pulled out some leftover pizza. AJ leaned on the edge of the counter and began, “You’re not gonna like what I’m about to tell you.”  
“I thought I wouldn’t,” Rochelle snorted, placing several slices on a plate.   
AJ watched as she put the plate in the microwave. “Almost 20 years ago, I had a girlfriend named Brittany. One night, we were supposed to go to The Aurora with my friends. She got sick and told me to go without her.”  
“What happened?”  
AJ gulped and closed his eyes, trying not to stop halfway through his story. “While I was there, a woman came up to me. She said her name was Isabel, and she asked me if I wanted to go to her place.”  
Rochelle’s hand flew to her mouth. “You didn’t!”  
“Babe, I was hypnotized by her. The other guys looked like they felt the same. Anyways, I called Brittany and told her I would be late. I spent the night with Isabel, and when I woke up, she was gone. I returned home, but someone had called Brittany and told her what happened. She left me once she was feeling better.”  
The microwave beeped, but Rochelle stayed standing in the same place. Her voice shook. “You saw Isabel again tonight.”  
“Belladonna now. And she tried to kill me.”  
Rochelle gasped and sank down onto a stool. When AJ had finished telling her the story, she shook her head. “AJ, I don’t like this at all. You have to stay away from that place from now on. I don’t want to see you getting hurt.”  
AJ had to smile. “Don’t worry. I have no intention of returning there anytime soon.”   
As he bit into his pizza, however, AJ couldn’t help thinking about Courtney. She had a lot on her plate, with her powers and a mom who was the total opposite of her daughter. What would Belladonna do when she found out about Courtney rescuing them?

*

“Your mom’s not going to be happy when she finds out you rescued AJ and Howie,” Casey murmured in Courtney’s ear.  
“I don’t care. It was the right thing to do.” Courtney ran her fingers through his hair and snuggled in closer.  
The two were in Courtney’s bed, the lights turned off. Casey sighed. “You are always so confident in yourself, Courtney.”   
“I know.” Courtney wrapped her arms around him. “Anyway, I want to find out what Mom has against them.”  
“I’m not so sure that’s...”  
The sound of the apartment door opening ended their conversation. Casey ducked under the sheets while Courtney called, “Mom, I’ll be right there.” Jumping out of bed, she locked the bedroom door and turned on the lights.   
“Maybe it’s better that you don’t know,” Casey tried again.  
“I can’t live like that.” Courtney turned her back to the bed while she pulled her shirt over her head. “Mom, I’ll be right there.”  
“Take your time. I’m making macaroni and cheese.”  
“That’s great.” Courtney made a face at Casey. “I’m sick of Kraft Dinner.”  
“Find a recipe online and make something yourself.”   
“I keep meaning to do that.” Courtney zipped up her jeans and pointed at the floor. “Get under the bed and stay there until I tell you to.”  
“Sure, sure.” Casey rolled his eyes, picked up his clothes, and crawled under the bed.   
Courtney smoothed down her top and entered the kitchen. “Hey, Mom. You’re here early.”  
“Paxton said there was trouble.” Belladonna’s eyes flashed. “What were you thinking, getting involved in my affairs?”  
Courtney placed her hands on her hips. “You were trying to kill someone, Mom. Why?”  
“It’s none of your business.” Belladonna stretched out her hand and slapped her across the cheek. “That’s enough. You’re grounded for the weekend.”  
“But Casey and I were planning on watching a movie at the cinema.”  
“That can wait.” Her mom smiled. “Or you can start your training.”  
“I don’t want to be a witch like you, Mom. Chasing men and then getting rid of them, just so you can use your power for evil.” Courtney gently touched her cheek. It was still stinging. “Which, by the way, includes murder.”  
“Go to your room, Courtney,” Belladonna snapped. The timer went off. “Never mind. Drain the macaroni. I need to use the bathroom.”  
Once her mom had left, Courtney ran back to her room. Feeling with her foot, she gave a sharp kick.  
Casey pulled himself out, wincing. “That hurt.”  
“Not as much as Mom slapping and grounding me.”  
“I told you she wouldn’t be happy.” Casey pulled his clothes on and put his hand on her shoulder. “Bye, Courtney. Promise me you won’t do anything stupid, Courtney.”   
“I will,” Courtney promised. She gave Casey a peck on the cheek and pushed him out the door. He smiled and waved good-bye to her as he ran down the corridor.  
Howie was standing in front of his door. He nodded to Casey. “How’s Courtney?”  
“She’s okay, but Belladonna wasn’t happy with her escapades.”  
“Are you sure she’s safe with Belladonna?”  
Casey had never seriously thought about it. He chose his words carefully. “Dad and I are never sure. But Courtney is tough. It would take more than a few angry words to scare her.”  
Howie smiled, then frowned. “Do you know why her mother hates us?”  
“All I know is that she met AJ years ago. Maybe something happened that night that changed her attitude towards him.” Casey unlocked his door and added, “Tell him to stay as far away as possible if he doesn’t want trouble.”  
“I will. Tell Courtney the same thing.”   
Casey grimaced. “I have, but there’s no guarantee that she’ll listen. See ya.” He entered the apartment and shut the door.  
Howie shook his head and pulled out his phone to text AJ: “AJ, stay where you are. Forget about Belladonna and Courtney. This is nothing you need or want to know about.”   
Hopefully, he would take the hint and actually listen to him. For once.


	4. Chapter 4

Of course, AJ didn’t do that. When Rochelle left for work, he drove back to the UnderGrounds.  
First, he knocked on Howie’s door. When Howie opened it, AJ asked, “Where exactly does Courtney live?”  
“AJ, I told you not to come back!”  
“Would you mind answering my question?”  
Howie sighed. “Number 13. But for God’s sake, AJ, get out of here. Paxton has been following me and Casey, and I have no idea where Belladonna is.”  
“Thanks for that info.” AJ waved as he searched for the door number.  
Courtney, sensing his presence, snuck out of her apartment. Belladonna would be asleep for about another hour, tangled up with Paxton. She wouldn’t have to worry about them for some time.  
“AJ, it’s good to see you,” Courtney greeted him.  
“You knew I was coming?” AJ asked, confused.  
“Yeah. And the good news is that Mom and Paxton are otherwise occupied.” Courtney gestured to the elevator. “Want something to eat? I haven’t had breakfast yet.”  
“Sure.” AJ pressed the UP button and looked at her. “I really want to get to know you, Courtney.”  
She laughed. “You’re probably twice my age, AJ.”   
“Very funny. I just happen to have a girlfriend, too.”  
“I do have a confession to make,” Courtney said as they stepped into the elevator. “I’d like to get to know you, too, but partly because I want to figure out why Mom hates you.”  
“Same!” AJ cracked his knuckles. “Okay, change of subject. Who’s your dad?”  
“I don’t know.”  
AJ stared at her. “What do you mean?”  
“He left before I was born. Mom didn’t even know that she was pregnant.”  
“Does she know who your dad is?”  
“Maybe.” Courtney smirked. “Change of subject. Tell me more about yourself.”  
Over pancakes and sausage, AJ told her about himself, his work (he was the member of a band), and his friends. “I would like to meet Nick, Kevin, and Brian,” Courtney said.  
“Nick is known to be a heartbreaker,” AJ teased. “Might want to tell Casey that.”  
“If he’s just a few years younger than you, then he’s too old for me.” Courtney rested her chin on her hands and said, “I have a few ideas how we can figure this out. I could force Mom to give me the information-”  
“Don’t do that,” AJ broke in.   
“- or we can do some research.”  
“We? I thought you were grounded.” AJ then realized something. “You can’t sneak out like this all the time.”  
“No, but I can contact someone who might have the answers to my questions.”  
“Who?”  
“Aunt Arnica. She used to babysit me when Mom went out, and I still go to visit her. Mom doesn’t like her, though, because she gave up her witchcraft.”   
“And what do you want me to do?”   
Courtney leaned forward. “Mom and I used to live in the Bronx. I have the old address. The landlord should still be there. He used to be friends with Mom. You could ask him some questions.”  
“Okay,” AJ nodded.   
Courtney handed him a piece of paper with an address written on it. “I should probably get back before Mom finds out I’m gone. Good luck, AJ.”  
“You, too, Courtney.” He held onto her hand for a minute longer, then put the paper in his pocket. 

*

AJ needed a legitimate reason to go the Bronx, however. He decided to call up Brian.  
When he answered, AJ asked him, “You want to go on a mission with me?”  
“If Leighanne can spare me. It’s not too long until her due date, but she doesn’t want me to leave so often.” A woman’s voice in the background called his name. “Hang on a sec.” AJ waited patiently until Brian confirmed, “She says I can go as long as it’s legal.”  
“Oh, it’s legal.” Unless they had to force the landlord to talk.  
“What exactly are we doing?”  
“Trying to forget out why I almost got killed by a witch yesterday.”  
“A witch?”  
“Long story. You still in?”  
There was a slight pause. Then, Brian answered, a little hesitantly, “Yes.”  
“Great.” AJ grinned as he sent a text message to Rochelle: "Going out with Brian. Be back soon". He was feeling pretty confident about this mission.


	5. Chapter 5

Courtney felt less confident as she picked up the phone. Paxton had gone out with Belladonna for lunch. Courtney was not only grounded, but her mom had placed a blocking charm on the door. She didn’t know about the closet escape, but Courtney wasn’t going to give her a chance.  
Her fingers slipped on the numbers. Courtney swallowed and redialed the number, hoping that Arnica was home. Finally, the sweet sound of her voice said, “Hello?”   
Courtney smiled with relief. “Hi, Aunt Arnica. It’s me.”  
“Rosaria!” She was the only one who called her niece by her Mortis name. “How are you?”  
“I’m good, Aunt. Besides the fact I was grounded.”  
“Really? Why?”  
Courtney sat on the counter, her legs dangling over the edge. “I need to ask you a few questions of my own.”  
“Go ahead.” Arnica sounded cautious.  
Courtney took a deep breath. “Do you know a man named AJ?”

*  
“Are you sure this is legal?” Brian asked as AJ parked in front of their destination. It was a run-down old house painted a depressing shade of blue.  
AJ glared at him. “No, but we’ll try to keep to the law unless we have to.” Brian sighed as they got out and walked up to the front door.  
AJ pressed the doorbell. A few seconds passed. Brian checked his watch. “One more minute, and then I’m out of here.”   
Just as he said it, the door slowly opened. An old man in a ragged bathrobe stared at them over his glasses. “You here to rent?”  
Oh, great, Brian thought, irritated. He thinks we’re a couple.  
“No,” AJ replied, “but I have some questions about one of the former tenants. A woman named Isabel? She used to live her with her daughter.”  
“Ah, Isabel and Courtney.” The man smiled, showing yellowed teeth. “I never cared much for the woman – too many men coming here for my taste – but her daughter was so sweet. How is Courtney?”  
“She’s okay.” The man waved them in, and escorted them into a living room with faded couches and peeling wallpaper. Brian couldn’t imagine a young woman living here with her infant daughter. Or anyone, for that matter.  
AJ took a deep breath. “I don’t remember if you remember me, but I came here.”  
The man’s eyebrows shot up. “Is your name AJ?”  
It was AJ’s turn to be surprised. “How do you know my name?”

*

“I remember AJ,” Arnica said on the phone. “I went with Belladonna to The Aurora that night. Not because I wanted to, but because I had to. At that time, she was almost a full-fledged witch, but had yet to complete her Virgin Year test. I went there to make sure everything went all right. She used to be so reckless.”  
Courtney held onto the phone. “What happened?”  
“We were dancing when Belladonna pointed to a group of men and said she was going to talk to them. I followed her, but lost sight of her when I talked to one of his friends.”  
“Howie?”  
“Yes. Does he still live there?”  
“Yes. I met him yesterday. So Mom invited AJ to her house?”  
“Yes. I went to bed and thought nothing about it, since Belladonna had cast her anti-fertility spell before we went to the club.”  
“But it didn’t work?” The bitter taste of bile entered Courtney’s mouth. “What did Mom do?”  
“She decided not to use it. After all, nothing had happened before.”  
“Aunt Arnica, did Mom ever find out who…who my father is?”  
She knew the answer even before Arnica said, “Rosaria, can’t you tell? AJ is your father.”

*

AJ asked the landlord, “How do you know that?”  
“Arnica said that Isabel always did this spell that kept her from getting pregnant. She didn’t do it that night.” As Brian opened his mouth, the man added, “And no, I didn’t know she was a witch until I asked Arnica about the pregnancy. He tilted his head to the side. “Now that I think about it, I see a resemblance. Courtney has your chin and eyes.”  
AJ shook his head. “It makes sense. Isabel tried to kill me, but Courtney stopped her.”  
“Courtney stopped her?” The man’s eyebrows shot up. “I knew the girl had spunk, but that is something different.”  
“Thank you for your time,” AJ said. “Brian, let’s go.”  
“Where to?” Brian asked.  
“Back to the UnderGrounds. I have a feeling that Courtney is in danger.”


	6. Chapter 6

Courtney replaced the receiver. Her mind was buzzing with all this new information. She had to tell Casey.  
“Finished?”   
Courtney looked up to see Paxton leaning against the counter. “What are you doing here?” she asked him.   
“Checking up on you.”   
“How long have you been there?”  
“Oh, I came in when you started talking about AJ.” Paxton took a couple of menacing steps towards her. She, in turn, started to back up. “Where is he?”  
“I’m not telling you.”  
“You were always so disobedient. Can’t you just oblige me?”  
Courtney ran into her room and locked the door. She let out a sigh of relief, then gasped as Belladonna appeared from out of the closet. “I always wondered how you managed to sneak out, when I put the blocking charm on.”  
“Mom.” Courtney forced a smile. “It’s nice to see you.”  
“Quiet, Courtney.” Belladonna’s eyes were hard. “Where is AJ?”  
“I don’t know. If you’re so smart, you find him yourself.”  
Belladonna clenched her fist. Courtney felt herself being pulled forward and onto her bed.   
Paxton broke the door open. “You know, Courtney, I am a little tired of all this back-and-forth.”  
“AJ’s my dad. I can’t betray him.” Courtney tried to move, but her arms were stuck to her body.  
“He ruined my chances of becoming a full witch,” Belladonna spat. “Instead of achieving my full potential, I was stuck with a spoiled brat who refused to follow in my footsteps and decided to help some pathetic cheats. Answer us one more time: where is AJ?”  
“Do what you want with me,” Courtney cried, “but you won’t make me tell you.”  
“Very well.” Belladonna nodded at Paxton. “She’s yours.”  
To Courtney’s horror, Paxton unzipped his trousers and sprawled over her. She tried to scream, but even that was impossible.

*

Brian decided to go with AJ. “I have to get some things from the store.”  
“I thought it was so you could keep an eye on me.”  
“Isn’t this a better excuse than ‘Rochelle, Brian and I are doing some man stuff, like interrogate the landlord of Belladonna’s old house’?” Brian rolled his eyes.  
“Let’s do the store last,” AJ suggested as he parked.   
Just as they got out, however, Brian dropped to the ground. “Something hit me.”  
AJ picked up the small object. It was a bullet. “Brian, into the store!”  
They ran inside. They rounded the corner and narrowly missed being hit by a couple of shopping carts. “They’re moving, but there’s no one there,” Brian gasped.  
“Oh, someone’s here all right.” AJ craned his neck. Sure enough, he saw a pair of familiar-looking boots disappearing. “We have to split up.”  
“No, I’m sticking with you,” Brian said. No matter what happened, he couldn’t let AJ be attacked by some crazy person that wore black leather.  
The men knocked a stack of cans as they ran back to the entrance. To their dismay, the doors wouldn’t open. “What will we do?” Brian asked.  
“Break the law.” AJ rammed a cart into the door. The glass shattered, and the alarm went off. Brian shook his head in dismay as AJ led him out of the store and into the apartment.  
Casey sat there, looking shocked. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he said as he ran to meet them.   
“Is Courtney okay?” AJ asked.  
Casey looked away. “No. If you hadn’t insisted on meeting with her, none of this would have happened.”  
“What happened?” Brian asked. “Is she hurt?”  
Casey glared at them. “Courtney was raped.”


	7. Chapter 7

AJ returned home almost crushed by the weight of his guilt. When Rochelle returned from work, he told her what had happened. “I should have listened to you instead of satisfying my curiosity,” he finished.  
“You couldn’t have known it would happen,” Rochelle tried to soothe him. “And now you know that you have a daughter.”  
“That’s what makes it worse. Are you okay with all this?”  
“AJ, what you did before was wrong. But I am glad you got to meet Courtney. I wish I could get to know her, too.”  
AJ’s phone buzzed. He read the text from Howie: “Casey says he heard from Courtney that Belladonna was planning to move away from the city to an unknown destination.”   
AJ looked at Rochelle. “Belladonna is planning to move away with Courtney and Paxton.”  
“That can’t happen,” Rochelle gasped.  
Another text from Howie: “Courtney is planning to run away to live with her aunt Arnica. She says to meet with her at The Aurora tonight at 8.”  
AJ asked Rochelle, “What should I do?”  
“Go and help Courtney,” Rochelle answered. “I’ll pack us a suitcase, in case we have to leave as well.”  
“We?”  
“I want to help, too.”   
AJ wrapped her in a bear hug. “Thanks, Rochelle.” He turned back to the phone. “I’m going to call the rest of the boys. We’re saving Courtney.”

*  
AJ found Casey, Courtney, Nick, Kevin, and Brian already waiting at the entrance to The Aurora. “Where’s Howie?” he asked.  
“He said he would come,” Nick answered. “Shall I go get him?”  
“Yeah, that would be best,” Kevin nodded. Nick flashed Courtney a smile as he ran past them. Casey glared at his retreating back.  
AJ turned to Courtney. “Are you okay, Courtney?”  
“Yes, I am, AJ.” She hesitated. “Dad.” She frowned. “I don’t know what to call you now. It’s so awkward.”  
“Just call me AJ for now. Are you sure you’re okay to do this?”  
“Yes.”  
“Where’s Belladonna and Paxton anyway?” Kevin asked.  
“Inside.”  
“Then what are we doing here?”  
“We’ll draw them out into the parkade, where they’ll confront Aunt Arnica. After she’s finished them off, we’ll leave.” She smiled ironically. “No matter what happens, I’ll be leaving home.”  
“Should we wait for Howie and Nick?” Brian wanted to know.  
Courtney shook her head. “They’ll come when they come. We have no time to waste.”

*

Nick pounded on Howie’s door. “Open up, Howie!”  
Howie unlocked the door. “Nick, what are you doing here?”  
“Everyone’s waiting for you at The Aurora.”  
“Oh, right, right.” Howie jerked a thumb behind him. “Sorry. I kinda forgot, what with knocking out your friend and all.”  
Nick stared at him. “What do you mean?”   
Paxton ripped off his mask. The next thing he knew, Nick was shoved into the closet, which was then sealed with Belladonna’s blocking charm.  
From on the floor, Howie smirked. “Hey, pretty boy. They got you, too.”  
“Oh, man, how are we going to get out of here?” Nick moaned.  
“Don’t worry,” Howie assured him. “AJ told me how he and Courtney escape from Belladonna the first time. I was just about to open the vent when you popped in.”  
“We’d better hurry,” Nick said, “before Belladonna and Paxton get there first.”

*

Courtney decided that Brian and Kevin would stand guard at the entrance, while she, Casey, and AJ would wait inside.  
Brian sighed with relief as Howie appeared. “There you are.”  
“Where’s Nick?” Kevin asked.  
“On his way. We had a run-in with Belladonna. He’s trying to lose her.” Howie nodded to them and made his way inside.  
Kevin frowned. “There’s something fishy about him.”  
“You know, I have a few issues with this whole plan.” Brian counted them off. “First, if Courtney was grounded, how come she wasn’t given extra surveillance? Besides the fact that they thought she’d be weakened after the rape. Second, why didn’t Howie show up before? And third, where is Nick?”  
Kevin’s eyebrows shot up. “Either we’re blowing this out of proportion, or we’re walking into a trap.”  
Just then, Howie and Nick ran up to them. “There you are!” Brian sighed with relief. “We were wondering what had happened to you.”  
“Someone came in pretending to be you, Howie,” Kevin added. “Who was it?”  
Howie gulped. “That was Paxton.”  
Brian looked at Kevin, astonished. “You were right, Kevin. This whole thing was a setup.”


	8. Chapter 8

Inside, Courtney tensed as Paxton approached them. “Hello, Howie. Where is Nick?”  
“Talking with the others. Is Belladonna here yet?”  
“No. She’s supposed to be here soon.” Courtney blinked several times before touching AJ’s arm. “Could you wait over here while I go talk to him?”  
“Sure.”  
Casey studied Paxton for a minute. “How come you’re taller?”  
Paxton pulled a knife out of his pocket and waved it at them. “Go to the entrance without making a peep.” Casey and AJ had no choice, but to walk out of The Aurora.  
“Where are you guys going?” Brian asked.  
“How come there’s two of Howie?” AJ asked at the same time.  
For the second time that night, Paxton pulled off his mask. This time, however, he also lunged at AJ.  
Casey swung a punch at him, sending Paxton crashing into the dancers. “Go find Courtney,” he shouted to AJ. “Now!”  
The men hurried out and into the parkade. “Where exactly could she be?” AJ wondered.  
“Anywhere?” Nick suggested.  
Brian glared at him. “That’s very specific.”  
“I think Casey said that Arnica was to meet her at the end of the parkade,” Howie said.  
“I’ll drive us down there,” Kevin decided.   
AJ gratefully climbed into the passenger’s seat and buckled his seatbelt, while everyone else squeezed into the back. Kevin sped down, almost crashing several times, until they were at the end.  
Courtney was waiting for them. “You made it.”  
“The plan backfired,” AJ told her. “We have to get you out of here.”  
“The plan is working. Too well.” Courtney looked away. “I’m sorry.”  
“What do you mean?” Brian asked.  
“She means that you are all under my power.” Belladonna and Paxton appeared, cutting off the exit. Belladonna continued, “After Paxton was forced to punish Courtney, we gave her a choice: me or her father.”  
AJ stared at Courtney in shock. “You didn’t.”  
“I’m sorry,” she said, tears in her eyes.   
“Wait. So you convinced her to make up this whole escape plan so you could trap us here?” Nick shook his head. “That’s crazy!”   
“But she did, handsome.” Belladonna reached out and ruffled Nick’s hair. “And now that I have all of you here, I can finish you off.”  
AJ held Courtney close. “What about Arnica? And Casey?”  
“I’ll kill them, too.”  
“No!” Courtney tried to wave her hand, but nothing happened.  
“A witch only gets her powers through intercourse if it isn’t forced,” Belladonna said smugly. “You’re powerless, Courtney.” A wicked smile flashed across her face, and she made a slashing motion with her hand, moving from above her face to below her chin.  
The floor above Courtney, AJ, and the others began to cave in.  
They dodged slabs of concrete from every direction. Brian licked the blood from a cut above his lip. “We’re not going to make it.”  
Courtney hit the floor in desperation. Now, she wished she’d taken those lessons from her mother. If only there was some way she could stop her.   
The pieces of concrete around her lifted several inches from the ground. Courtney sucked in her breath and looked up. Almost directly above Belladonna, there was a piece of flooring that was hanging down.  
Courtney called to Belladonna, “Mom, please stop! You don’t want to do this.”  
“Yes, I do!“ Belladonna moved directly beneath the concrete.  
Courtney shut her eyes, then copied Belladonna’s hand motion.  
The floor above gave way, burying the witch as she walked towards her daughter.


	9. Chapter 9

Courtney sank to her knees, in exhaustion and grief. AJ ran to her and held her tight. “Courtney, I’m so sorry.”  
“So am I, Dad.” She burst into tears and snuggled into his chest.  
Casey, Arnica, and Rochelle appeared just then. “What happened?” Casey asked. “Where’s Belladonna?”  
“She’s dead,” Brian answered. “Courtney used her powers to kill her.”  
“Oh, Rosaria.” The woman gently took Courtney’s hands into her own. She looked like Belladonna, but with silver highlights and a kinder face.  
“How are we going to explain this to the police?” Kevin, ever the logical one, asked. “They’ll arrest Courtney for murder.”  
“We could always say Paxton did it,” Howie pointed out, “and tell them that his accomplice vanished.”  
“Through the roof,” Nick nodded. “Yeah, they’ll believe that.”  
“It’s better that Courtney leave while she still can,” Arnica said firmly. She looked at AJ. “Will you take her?”  
“I thought she’d be with you,” AJ said, “since you’re her aunt.”  
“You’re her father, AJ. She should be with you.” Arnica smiled at him. “You have a lot to catch up on.”  
AJ turned to Courtney. “Do you want to go with Rochelle and me to Florida?”  
“Really?” Courtney looked at Rochelle.   
“Of course, Courtney,” Rochelle said. “AJ loves you, and while I could never replace your mother, I’ll do my best to love you as much as he does.”  
Casey sighed dejectedly. “That settles it, then. We probably won’t see each other again in a while, will we?”   
“Probably not.” Courtney ran to him and planted a kiss on his lips. “But it’s okay. I’ll write to you. Maybe you can come visit.”  
AJ turned to his friends. “Howie, Brian, Kevin, Nick, thanks for agreeing to come on this adventure.”  
“It was more forcing than agreeing,” Brian corrected him.  
“Anything for you, bro,” Howie said, kicking Brian. “We’ll have to get together with you and do another concert.”  
Rochelle led Courtney to the car. Courtney sighed as she climbed in, with her father taking the wheel. “Let’s go,” he said, giving her a smile.  
The others waved as AJ drove, for the final time, out of the UnderGrounds and back home.


End file.
